Over 25 unions internationally called for a strike in the ports – against arms deliveries and for better working conditions. Participation was particularly large in Italy and Greece.

On Friday, port workers in 22 countries went on strike at 113 ports. Over 25 unions called for the strike. It was originally planned only in Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and the Basque Country, but other forces joined.

The organizers predicted in advance that around 40 percent of freight transport by ship on the Mediterranean could come to a standstill. In Italy, the port strike also coincided with a general strike by the rank-and-file union Unione Sindacale di Base (USB).

Antimilitarism and international solidarity

The basis of the mobilization was the so-called Istanbul Declaration. Port workers' unions from 35 European countries unanimously passed it in May of this year. In it they demand that the ports no longer be used for the transport of weapons.

Dock workers announce strike against arms deliveries to Israel

In calling for a strike, several unions also made far-reaching demandsdemandson. In addition to better working conditions, higher real wages and shortened working hours, the focus was on international solidarity and anti-militarism.

The first point of the declaration is the demand to end the genocide against the Palestinian people and to recognize an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The unions also demand an end to the US war of aggression in West Asia and express their full solidarity with the peoples of Cuba, Venezuela and Sudan. The resistance against occupiers is legitimate, it goes on to say.

The statement also denounces the rearmament of Europe and all NATO countries. State money should instead flow into education and social welfare, instead of into war equipment and the expansion of the war industry.

TheGlobal Sumud Flotillasupported the strike. In the past, it had tried several times to break the blockade into Gaza and bring relief supplies there.

International strike day at ports against war

General strike, mass protests and port blockades

In Italy, the slogan for the day was “Blocchiamo tutto” (English: “We are shutting down everything”). The USB had called for a general strike and more than 40 rallies to demonstrate against rising living costs and rearmament in Europe.

In Milan, students and trade unions, together with pro-Palestinian activists, each announced their own resignationsMarcheswho joined together on Corso Buenos Aires. Than there about70,000As people demonstrated, the Tangenziale Est motorway was also closed to car traffic. InVicenzaThe police used water cannons and tear gas against 2,000 demonstrators.

In the capitalRomeAccording to USB estimates, around 100,000 people took to the streets. During the protestsgarbage cansplaced on the street and set on fire. When a large crowd moved towards parliament in the evening, the police used water cannons.

The Italian port workers play a special role in this, especially those in the port of Genoa. In the past, they have repeatedly contributed to the shipping of weapons to Israeli or US military facilitiesblock. On Friday, 15,000 dock workers and students protested against the shipping of war materials.

Part of a Europe-wide protest movement

In Greece, workers shut down ferries for 24 hours and disrupted the flow of goods in the port of Piraeus. Around 3,000 dock workers and seafarers took part in the strike across the country.

There were also actions in Germany, albeit on a smaller scale. A ver.di specialist group for air transport and the maritime economy declared its solidarity and organized a meetingrallyagainst war and militarization in front of Warehouse G in the port of Hamburg. It spread in RostockMLPDtogether with their youth association Rebell at the harbor a large banner with the slogan "Dock workers don't work for your war! No NATO ports!" out of.

“Port-wide ready to strike!”: 11,000 employees are on strike at German ports

The strike comes at a time in which hundreds of thousands of young people and adults have been taking to the streets in Europe and around the world for over a month. What began as a youth or Gen Z protest now has broad social support: In addition to schoolchildren and students, workers and pensioners have also joined. In addition to better education and a stop to austerity policies, the focus here is also on the anti-militarist struggle and international solidarity.

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